by Lindsay H. Jones, USA TODAY Sports

by Lindsay H. Jones, USA TODAY Sports

BEREA, Ohio â?? Josh Gordon might have been in uniform for the Cleveland Browns as training camp began Saturday morning, but it was hardly what Mike Pettine predicted would be "business as usual" for the team's No. 1 receiver.

Instead of lining up with the first-team offense, Gordon spent most of Saturday's two-hour practice with the backups. And not just the veteran backups: Gordon was often running with the third-team offense alongside unheralded rookies.

Though Gordon and the Browns won't find out for at least two weeks if he'll be allowed to play, the message out of the first practice of the preseason was that the Browns are already preparing to be without him.

Gordon is facing a lengthy ban for repeated violations of the NFL's drug policy, and he has an appeal hearing scheduled for Aug. 1, after which he'll learn if he will miss the entire season, or if he might be allowed to return at some point in 2014. If he loses the appeal, Gordon would have to apply for reinstatement after year.

Gordon's off-field troubles are not new, and they don't seem to be over. He served a two-game suspension last year, and he was arrested three weeks ago on a charge of driving while intoxicated in North Carolina.

Still, cutting ties completely with Gordon has never been an option, team owner Jimmy Haslam said Saturday. Haslam, citing league confidentiality rules, declined to comment specifically about Gordon's pending punishment.

"I'll say this. First and foremost, we care about our players and we want our players to take care of themselves and make good decisions, and we're going to do everything we can to support them," Haslam said. "At the same time, players have to be accountable to themselves and their teammates, to the front office and to our fans. People have to understand that, and I'll leave it at that."

With Gordon's drop on depth chart, veteran free agent additions Miles Austin, Andrew Hawkins, Nate Burleson and Anthony Armstrong spent plenty of time practicing with the first-team offense. Austin, the long-time Dallas Cowboy, was held out of all team drills in the spring after signing in May, so Saturday marked his first true action as a member of the Browns.